Search

You are here

Books & Sounds

Mon, 01/14/2013 - 23:16 -- abc_admin

The Gambia and Senegal are well covered by field guides. A Field Guide to the Birds of The Gambia and Senegal by Barlow et al and Birds of Senegal and The Gambia by Borrow and Demey both cover these countries.

In addition, the western and central parts of Africa now have an excellent guide in the Birds of Western Africa by Borrow and Demey which covers The Gambia and Senegal. It is a fantastic reference work and thoroughly recommended. It covers 23 countries south of the Sahara, from Mauritania in the northwest, to Chad and Central African Republic in the east, and Congo Brazzaville in the southeast, including the Cape Verde and Gulf of Guinea Islands. The paperback version is much more portable than the hard cover edition and it is ideal for the field, although there is less detail.

Birds of Africa south of the Sahara also covers the same countries as Birds of Western Africa except the Cape Verde Islands.

A specific guide to the birds of this area. Over 600 species are described with almost 570 species illustrated on 48 colour plates. The species not illustrated in colour are vagrants.

"This new book is quite simply excellent, and is certainly one of the very best true field guides for any region in the world. Yes, I rate it that highly. It is clearly evident that great thought and consideration went into the planning and design of the book - it really is user-friendly, nothing is missing that should be included, and nothing included is a waste of space. The end result is a masterpiece." Nick Dymond, British Birds.

This new field guide covers The Gambia, a country which is very popular with a large number of birders and tourists, and the whole of neighbouring Senegal. This fascinating region shelters many Western Palearctic migrants from September to April, as well as a significant list of resident West African birds. The stunning colour plates depict more than 680 species, covering almost every distinct plumage and race. The authoritative text highlights the key features needed to identify each species in the field, and accurate up-to-date maps are provided for every species. This comprehensive guide is an essential companion for anyone visiting The Gambia and Senegal. 352 pages.

Book image:

Book info:

Birds of Western Africa, Nik Borrow & Ron Demey, Helm, Hardback.

Book description:

Helm Identification Guide. 147 plates depicting over 1280 species in 2800 individual figures. Covers Senegal, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Rio Muni, Gabon, Congo, Central African Republic, Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, part of Mauritania and the islands of Sao Tome, Principe and Bioko (Fernando Po). All the species described are illustrated in colour apart from a few vagrants, which are depicted in black-and-white in the text. Distribution maps are provided for the majority of species (except vagrants). 832 pages.

Book image:

Book info:

Field Guide to the Birds of Western Africa, Nik Borrow & Ron Demey, Helm, Softback.

Book description:

Helm Field Guide. Utilises all the plates from the Helm ID Guide by the same authors, with a concise, authoritative text on facing pages, to create a guide covering all 1,304 species found in the region. The guide also contains an updated colour distribution map for each species and a number of new images have been painted just for this guide. Covers Senegal, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Rio Muni, Gabon, Congo, Central African Republic, Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, part of Mauritania and the islands of Sao Tome, Principe and Bioko (Fernando Po). 512 pages.

Book image:

Book info:

Birds of Africa South of the Sahara, Ian Sinclair & Peter Ryan, New Holland, Softback.

Book description:

Second edition, including 500 new images and 400 updated distribution maps. Unrivalled coverage of African birds in a single volume. 2129+ species covered with an additional 101 vagrants briefly described. Revised to reflect the latest changes in taxonomy. Species descriptions give precise identification features highlighting differences between similar species as well as briefly reporting habitat, status and call. Annotated illustrations portray distinctive plumages as well as diagnostic flight patterns and major geographic variants where applicable.

BOU checklist 3. Second edition 1991. A popular holiday destination, The Gambia is usually most British birdwatchers' introduction to the birds of West Africa, which often fuels the desire for further travel. This is a detailed account of the Gambian birdlife which is heavily influenced by the River Gambia which flows along the middle of this tiny West African nation. 152 pages.